The Importance of Bit Depth in GNSS Record and Playback Testing

When testing equipment reliant on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), many manufacturers and chipset integrators will use record and playback solutions to reliably create real-world signal environments in the lab.

However, depending on the bit depth of your record and playback system (RPS), the process of converting analog signals into digital testing files could create a flawed image of a signal environment – and compromise the fidelity of your testing efforts.

This paper explains how this happens; the impacts of using an RPS with low bit depth; and what manufacturers and chipset integrators can do to accurately recreate signal environments and ensure
they test against authentic real-world conditions.